The Los Angeles Kings came into Columbus desperate for two points, and it certainly showed.
Jonathan Quick allowed a goal on the first shot of the game, but the Kings scored four of the next five en route to what ended up a 4-3 win.
Some takeaways:
1) Despite the final score being 4-3, last night's game wasn't even close. The shots were 44-26 Kings, and they dominated from start to finish. They were significantly better at even-strength, and seemed to fill the net within a minute of every goal Columbus put on the board. Jonathan Quick made some good saves, but his .885SV% is the only reason the Jackets didn't lose by multiple goals.
2) I touched on this the other day, but Curtis McElhinney is probably playing himself into a contract - either in Columbus or elsewhere - for next season. Allowing four goals isn't ideal, obviously, but he still posted a respectable .909SV%, and gave the Jackets a chance on a night they weren't very good.
3) I was very impressed by David Savard's game. He finished the night with a goal, an assist, and was the only defenseman on Columbus who drove possession better than 50% against LA. That was while playing almost 24 minutes. In his last five contests he has four points, nine shots and he seems to be playing with a lot more confidence as a whole.
4) As tough as these losses are to take, the Blue Jackets will be better for it in the long run. They have a pretty good core, and right now (at No. 5 overall) they're in a position to add another big piece to the puzzle. They have plenty of good prospects in their system, so adding someone like Dylan Strome, Mitch Marner, etc. will help ensure their future is very bright.
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